Yamal mourns over victims in helicopter crash

Oct 22 2016

TASS

Authorities of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District (Russia’s Far North, part of the Ural Federal District) announced Oct. 22 a mourning day over victims in the helicopter crash.

19 passengers and 3 crewmembers were onboard the Mil Mi-8 helicopter of the Skol air company en route from Suzumskoye oil deposit in the Krasnoyarsk Krai to the settlement of Urengoy in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District.

The crash landing of the helicopter in 80 kilometers to the north-west of the Urengoy settlement was reported at 6:57pm Moscow time on Oct. 21. On board of the helicopter were 22 people. 3 survived.

Rescuers of the Russian Emergencies Ministry have completed the search and rescue operation at the site of a Mi-8 helicopter crash in Yamal, the ministry’s local branch told TASS.

"The rescuers have evacuated all the injured to hospitals, where they receive necessary assistance, and have taken out all bodies from the helicopter," the source said.

The victims’ identification will be organized in Novy Urengoi.

"The ministry’s psychologists are working with the relatives, and they will be assisting during the identification procedure," the source added.